


Martha's Choice

by mariatyler



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Humor, Romance, post-journey's end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-29
Updated: 2013-09-29
Packaged: 2017-12-28 00:24:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/985427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariatyler/pseuds/mariatyler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Martha realises that she can't stay with Tom, but she can't quite work out how to end things without breaking his heart. And then she meets Mickey Smith, and her problems escalate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Martha's Choice

When Martha met up with the man she’d walked a tiny portion of the Earth with, she knew, inexplicably, that despite him not remembering meeting her before, this was the man she was going to marry. And for a long time, it seemed like he agreed.

 

Everything was perfect in the beginning. Maybe too perfect. Sparks flew, and they both fell quickly in love with one another. It helped that they had so much in common; both were passionate about the medical profession, both loved to meet in the park for lunch, both found Sunday mornings were best spent sharing lazy cuddles and pancakes in bed.

Cracks crept in a few months after he proposed, though. They were living together – theoretically. But he was in Africa most of the time, and when he wasn’t, she was busy with UNIT missions. It put a strain on their relationship. Her taking a temporary position in New York didn’t help; he was against it, but Martha knew she was needed there. Time away from him and their familiar, cosy flat had started to put doubts in Martha’s mind regarding their upcoming wedding day. She wasn’t sure she was ready to marry him. In fact, she wasn’t sure she would ever be ready to marry him. She loved him, she really did, but he didn’t quite…understand her.

So it wasn’t too much of a surprise to Martha when, after being dropped off in a park by the Doctor subsequent to their efforts to save the universe(s), she realised that she would rather hang out with Jack and his team than go home to face the music. In that moment, she acknowledged that she had to end things before dates were set and venues booked.

She’d already bought her wedding dress, but that wasn’t the end of the world. She probably couldn’t leave her family permanently to live in Cardiff, but maybe she could leave Tom Milligan. Of course, just as she thought she’d come to this momentous decision, Tom rang her mobile. And he was so lovely, so loving, in his words of worry and praise, and she couldn’t say anything to him over the phone, nothing other than I’m fine, Tom, really. I know. Thank you. I’ll be home soon. Love you too.

After hanging up, Jack and Mickey both grinned at her.

“Gonna ditch us already?” Mickey asked. “I wanted to hear all about how you got travelling with the Boss.”

She smiled, and Jack nudged her shoulder with his, “What’s say you come have a drink with us for a few minutes? I’ve got some job offers I’d like to discuss with you.”

“Oh? Sounds interesting, Captain, but I’m more of a freelancer,” said Mickey with a grin.

“I’m up for it,” said Martha suddenly. “I was just thinking, actually, that I’d like to…relocate. UNIT’s getting a bit…”

“Bureaucratic?” asked Mickey. Martha nodded. “Yeah, Rose said that about parallel UNIT.”

Martha stopped walking for a moment. “Hold up a sec. Talking of Rose – what’s gonna happen?”

“How do you mean?” asked Jack.

“Well…two Doctors…Rose, her mother, and Donna. They all going to be on the TARDIS together?”

Jack frowned, then hesitated before replying, “Hey, let’s sit down for a bit.” They sat on a nearby bench, Martha in between the two men. Jack exhaled roughly. “I think Donna’s in a bit of trouble.”

“What?” asked the other two.

“She can’t – it wouldn’t – she’s human. I’m not sure that a human with a Time Lord brain is a…sustainable option.”

Martha jumped up in alarm. “She’s going to die?” she exclaimed.

“Shit,” mumbled Mickey.

“No, I don’t think the Doctor would allow that to happen. He’ll save her, but…he might not be able to save her memories of him.”

“Shit,” said Mickey again.

“And…Rose?” Martha asked.

“Well, Jackie isn’t gonna want to stay on board with them lot,” pointed out Mickey.

Jack chuckled. “Two Doctors,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “I don’t know whether to be jealous of her or feel sorry for her.”

“I’m glad he found her,” Martha murmured. “He really missed her.”

“You travelled with him after Rose, then?” Mickey checked for clarification.

“Yeah. I…he’d speak about her a lot. Not proper things – nothing about how she left. I was jealous; I thought she had dumped him and that he just had to get himself together and move on. But I didn’t know. He should have told me.”

Mickey nodded. “He can be very evasive when he wants to be.”

“Which is most of the time,” put in Jack.

“He likes to be mysterious,” Martha agreed. She turned to Mickey again. “So how did you meet him?”

“I was Rose’s boyfriend,” he answered.

Martha’s eyes widened. “Oh! What happened?”

“He came along and whisked her away in his blue box.”

“You have to realise though, Martha,” added in Jack. “That back then, Mickey wasn’t as brave and selfless as he is now.”

“Cheers, mate,” said Mickey, but he laughed. “S’pose it’s true. Me and Rose…well, I know now that it wouldn’t have worked out, not long-term. I s’pose I didn’t really understand her or what she wanted. But her and the Doctor, they ended up showing be a better way to live your life.”

“Ditto,” said Jack, at the same time as Martha said, “I know what you mean.”

“Anyway,” said Mickey. “Where’s this fiancé of yours?”

“Oh, he’ll be back at our flat.”

“Can we meet him?” asked Jack. “I’ve not seen this mysterious man yet.”

“Well, you can come now if you want. I’d better get back. I’m sure he’d like to meet you both too.”

“All right, then. Let’s go.”


End file.
